Rose Bowl press box named after Terry Donahue

Terry Donahue now has a piece of the Rose Bowl bearing his name. It doesn’t come with as many perks as you might imagine.

The press box officially was renamed the Terry Donahue Pavilion between the first and second quarters of UCLA’s Pac-12 home opener against Cal on Saturday night. The Bruins’ winningest coach still doesn’t get free admission.

“I asked about that. They said I have to have a ticket,” the 69-year-old said. “Can you imagine that? I was shocked. I was floored.”

Jokes aside, Donahue and his family holds season tickets in the loge section of the Rose Bowl. His radio work keeps him away for some games, but he’ll be on assignment for UCLA’s Friday night November game against Washington.

As he fielded questions from the media, Donahue reminisced about the Bruins’ transition into the Rose Bowl. On vacation in the summer of 1982, he got a call from chancellor Charles Young’s assistant, who told him him he needed to meet.

“I thought I was going to get fired,” Donahue said.

Young instead told the coach they were moving to a new home. The Coliseum was a recruiting draw for many players who grew up in the area, but UCLA was — by Donahue’s admittance — the No. 3 occupant after the Raiders and USC.

“I was just one of the privates to march to the drummer,” Donahue said of the plan, which he said was Young’s brainchild. “I did have enough sense to know, after our very first game here in 1982, that this was an incredible move for UCLA football.”

He also had plenty of praise for what Jim Mora’s staff has done in Westwood. The offense has drawn the bulk of the praise this season, but Donahue said he was most impressed by the four starting linebackers, a unit led by All-American Anthony Barr. Barr had a sack early against the Bears, his fourth of the season.

As for his own career, he said he feels like fans have looked more fondly on his era as time passes. He’s most proud of his winning records against every other team in the conference, as well as his seven straight bowl wins.

He can’t imagine doing it over, however. He’s enjoying his life now.

“I’m waiting for someone to pinch me,” he said. “Wake me up and say, ‘Get to work, you’re late for a meeting.’”

Marsh ejected

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Defensive end Cassius Marsh was ejected in the first half after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. He also committed back-to-back false starts and committed three penalties on two plays to gift Cal with 25 yards.

The mistakes set up the Bears’ first touchdown, a 6-yard run by Daniel Lasco that cut UCLA’s lead to 17-10.